Most manufacturers of televisions (TVs), video cassette recorders (VCRs) and other consumer electronic equipment provide remote control devices to control their equipment. Equipment of different manufacturers are usually controlled with different remote control devices. To minimize the number of individual remote control devices a given user requires, universal remote control devices have been developed which must be set-up to control various functions of a user's television, VCR, and other electronic equipment. A first method of setting up a universal remote control device requires the user to enter codes into the remote device that correspond and conform to the makes and models of the various equipment to be controlled. This type of method is commonly utilized in conjunction with so-called preprogrammed universal remote controls. In a second method of setting up a universal remote control device, codes that are to be learned by the remote control device are communicated to the remote control device from the equipment or unit to be controlled. Detailed descriptions of universal remote control systems utilizing such set-up methods can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,313 issued to Paul V. Darbee and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,848 issued to Ehlers.
The processes and algorithms used for teaching remote control devices to control these functions are well known in the art. Hence, the learning and teaching process utilized by a learning type universal remote control will be discussed herein only to the extent necessary for the understanding of the invention.